Chapter 4: For I am at my peak, and others only beginning to climb are already nearly as high.

Authors note: and im back… maybe XD. Anyway here is a chapter.

After the… odd orientation I was pleasantly surprised by the more normal classes the second day. Japanese was a breeze but english still gave me trouble. You would have thought that after over a century of global communication we would be down to one world language but at least there are only a handful left used by more than a few thousand. At lunch I sat alone, thats fine im used to… why do i feel a finger poking my shoulder?

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" Uraraka asked blushing slightly

"Of course not" I stammered out quickly.

Once she was seated i noticed several of my classmates were here, I guess they wanted to sit with me but were, wait, why would I intimidate them. That would be ridiculous. All in all 3 more people joined us. I recognized Iida immediately, the other two were pre admitted students, those who i started with a first place in the orientation assessment… damn it.

"Hello, my name is Izuku Midoria. It is a pleasure to meet you" I briefly struggled to remember their names "Momo Yaoyorozu and Shoto Todoroki?"

"That's correct." Momo replied "We never introduced ourselves and the only time our names were shown was during the quirk assessment. Did you remember our names just from that?" She asked with a mildly impressed look on her face while Todoroki just continued to stare softly.

"Yes" I decided not to say anything else so i can keep my foot out of my mouth.

"So?" Uraraka asked "what was it like getting in through recommendations? Did you two have any other tests you had to take?" Before she could continue Todoroki interrupted her.

"We had no tests, both of our families are top rated heros and their recommendation was enough to bypass the exam. Whether we like it or not, or whether we think it's fair or not, that is how the recommendation system works. The top 4 recomended get in the rest have to take the exam."

Iida's eyes lit up as he asked "Todoroki, isn't that endeavor's surname?"

"Yes"

After that, lunch concluded in awkward silence as the class everyone was waiting for started. Hero training. As I sat in my seat I noticed the glances, far more than yesterday. I am still trying to decide whether the glances are out of curiosity, resentment, or fear. Fortunately my thoughts are interrupted by a dramatic and jovial entrance.

"I AM, COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON" All Might Shouted (or is that just him talking)

"All Might!" said Kaminari

"Wow, he really is a teacher" Exclaimed Kirishima

Asui noted "That's a costume from the silver age isn't it?"

At this point i tuned out the other students waiting for the Symbol of Peace to begin talking.

"I teach hero basic training" All might began. "It is a subject where you train in different ways to learn the basics of being a hero. You'll take the most units of this subject. Let's get right into it! This is what we will do today- Combat Training!"

Bakugo obviously couldn't contain his excitement at the combat portion of this mission. I was unsure of whether I wanted to face him… or have him on my team for that matter.

"And to go with that are these! Costumes based on your quirk registration and requests sent in before school started."

I lugged my "costume" to the changing room on a cart, I knew it would be heavy but not this heavy. I checked quickly to make sure the physical details were good, I could not check the software and mechanical structures on short notice. I began to put on my suit, once it was all on I checked the hydraulics. So far everything was a go. I could check the gear slots once i brought this thing home, for now a suit of power armor would have to do.

All Might Stood at the entrance waiting for his students to come out. He knew the suits would be innovative and very cool, he expected this would become one of his favorite parts of teaching here. However He kept in mind his main task, finding a student to inherit One for All. Right now he was looking at primarily Todoroki, the combined quirks would make him a fitting symbol of peace. He didn't know why he hesitated but over the years All Might had learned to both trust his gut and be patient. Those two things worked together here when usually they fought. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to wait.

As the students came out he said "They say the clothes make the man, young men and fully aware… From now on… You are heros!"

Midoriya noticed that several others had some form of armor, however in his thick armor combined with his relatively short stature he looked sort of silly, perhaps when he was older and hopefully taller he would be intimidating however he looked like a dwarf from a fantasy novel with all the comedy that that implied…

All might continued "That's great everyone. You all look cool! Now! Shall we begin, you Zygotes?

It took me a while to get my suit on so at least i'm in the back and no one has seen how silly it looks.

"Oh Deku?" That girl has a knack for timing…

"Uraraka?!"

"That looks cool! It's like one of those old movie heros with the armored suits! I wish I had been more specific with mine, it turned out to be a skintight bodysuit. It's embarrassing..." I had already noticed this and was still trying to remember how to breath.

"Now, it's time for combat training!" All Might said before immediately being interrupted by Iida.

"Sir! This is a battle center from the entrance exam, so will we be conducting urban battles again?"

"No, we going to move ahead two steps! Most notable engagements with villains take place outside, but if you look at the total numbers battles with villains occur indoors at a greater rate. Imprisonment, home invasion, backroom deals, in this society filled with heros, the truly cunning villains hide in the shadows. For this class, you'll be split into heros and villans fighting two on two indoor battles."

"Without basic training?" Asui interrupted

"This is a real battle so you can truly understand those basics" All Might continued. "However, the key is that this time there is no robot you can just beat up."

At this point a flurry of questions broke out.

"How will wins and losses be determined?"

"Can we beat them up anyway?"

"Will the punishment be expulsion like with Mr Aizawa?"

"How shall we be split up?"

"Isn't this cape crazy?"

At this point All Might was tired of the barrage "I'll answer all of your questions! Now listen here." He said pulling out a script to the bemusement of the class, or maybe just to me "The situation is that the villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout. The heroes are trying to dispose of it. The heroes need to either catch the villains or disable the nuclear weapon in the allotted amount of time. The villains need to protect the nuclear weapon the entire time or catch the heroes."

"This situation feels very comic book!" I remarked

"Teams and opponents will be determined by drawing lots!"

"The teams are being determined so haphazardly?" Iida questioned

I replied "Pros often need to create makeshift teams with heroes from other agencies, so maybe that's why?"

Iida went into his contemplative mode "I see. That discernment to look ahead. Please excuse my rudeness!"

"It's fine, let's do this quickly!"

The teams were formed

Team A: Izuku Midoriya, Ochako Uraraka

Team B: Mezuo Shoji, Shoto Todoroki

Team C: Minoru Mineta. Momo Yaoyorozu

Team D: Katsuki Bakugo, Tenny Iida

Team E: Mina Ashido, Yuuga Aoyama

Team F: Kouji Kouda, Rikidou Satou

Team G: Denki Kaminari, Kyouka Jirou

Team H: Fumikage Tokoyami, Tsuyu Asui

Team I: Tooru Hagakure, Mashirao Ojiro

Team J: Eijirou Kirishima, Hanta Sero

So that means im paired with, Ochaco… that's quite the coincidence.

"Wow, it must be fate! I'm counting on you!"

I barely manage to stutter out an "uh huh" before we continue

All Might randomly put half of the balls for the teams in each bin and is randomly pulling one out from each side to determine the first match.

"The first teams to fight will be… These guys!" He shouts as he pulls A from the hero group and D from the villain group. At this point im internally calling bs on this 'randomization process' while despairing because even with my support equipment a fight with bakugou would be uphill. As it stands Uraraka's quirk though powerful is not well suited to a head on fight and I doubt as it stands I could beat either Bakugo or Iida in a head on fight. I notice on my hud that Bakugo is staring at me in rage. I simply walk away, if my plan is to work I need him to be as angry as possible.

"Villain team. Go in first and set up! In five minutes the hero team will break in and the battle will start! Young Iida, Young Bakugo, learn to think in the perspective of villains." At this line i have to contain my laughter. He continues "This is pretty close to a real battle. Go all out, don't be afraid to get hurt."

"Yes sir" Iida replied

"If things go to far, I will stop it"

Iida was nervous, this battle would test him both physically and emotionally. Once they were at the bomb he lamented "Even if this is training it pains me to become a villain. So our job is to protect this?" Knocking on it he observed "it's paper mache"

Bakugo interrupted his thoughts "Hey, are you going to keep rambling on all day?"

Iida replied "I apologize, we should be discussing strategy, I shall try to stay on topic in the future. I think we should stand our ground here. Midoriya, though obviously very physically and mentally capable in addition to being well armored is restricted in versatility through his lack of a quirk and can be kept at a distance. Uraraka is worrisome but if we clean up this place than she should have nothing to levitate. At that point we can run out the timer."

Bakugo's eyes lit in a blaze of fire before he slowly calmed down and said "that's actually a good plan, we can't let them touch us. You should scout around after we clean up but do not engage unless absolutely necessary. It would be annoying if I had to destroy them both myself.

Back outside midoriya had already loaded the map onto his HUD.

"It's a lot of work to memorize this floor plan" Uraraka muttered. I wished I had my prototype visor HUD to give her but that would have to wait till later. She continued "But All Might is just the same as on tv. Unlike Mr. Aizawa, it looks like there is no punishment so we can relax and try to have… fun? It's hard to tell what you are thinking with the mask on."

I panicked and fumbled eventually opening my mask

"Sorry, I was just planning for the fight with Bakugou, also Iida, they are both very formidable."

"But you got first place in the assessment. And you have that suit. Why are you nervous?"

"I've thought about it some more, none of you had ever used your quirks in sheer physical tests before, in fact with only a few exceptions most people are barred from quirk usage in day to day life. I am confident that if we did the same assessment again today I would slip at least 5 places if not more as everyone began to optimize their quirk usage in the situations while I would be stuck at about the same level. Also It is the matchup, Iida is too fast for us to engage in hand to hand combat as he can simply avoid it, Bakugou can attack us from range and I have even seen him fly with his explosions once. We are at a disadvantage to be sure… but I don't want to lose."

With a knowing smile on her face she said "A fated battle of men huh?" How easily she saw through me… maybe I should have kept the mask on.

I began to feel myself blush as I stammered out "Oh, sorry, this isn't your problem Uraraka."

"It is, we are a team aren't we? Let's do our best."

Over the intercom All Might announced "Now, let's start the indoor person to person combat training with Team A and Team D!"

Back in the control room he mentioned to the class "Okay everyone, you all should think as well. Both on how the current students can improve themselves, and how you can improve yourselves from their example."

We entered through the door we were waiting at, externally the building had a normal design but internally it was something of a maze. Even with the floor plans it was slightly confusing.

"Now all we have to do is find the bomb or their advanced scout." I whispered. "You know what to do once that happens. Uraraka's nod was all I needed.

Suddenly as we turned a corner I saw Iida. Giving the hand motion to Uraraka She stayed behind the corner and walked away as I drew his attention. Iida laughed maniacally… he is taking the villain rp very seriously as he said "foolish hero, your loud armor give you away" i finished in my head, 'and covers the noises of others'

"I shall not fight as it is unneeded, you are far too slow to catch me… MU HA HA HA HA." As he ran I pursued, I barely got to the stairs in time to see he went down to the first two floors. On the mic I called Uraraka

"It's either on the 4th or 5th floor, tell me the room number once you find it but don't go in."

She calmly replied "mhm"

I walked around for a minute before she called back "room 402"

"Good, right above me."

"What's your plan?"

"Well…" I grinned These pillars are just thin enough for me to punch through with this suit…"

end note: woo spooky cliffhanger. I would promise less of a delay on the follow up but I think I have to earn the right to promise you guys things. :)